It’s been over 6 months since the City of Mandurah promised action on Dawesville’s growing issues with illegal dumping, construction waste, and litter. While they announced plans for monthly cleanups, surveillance, and community education, the reality is, as many locals already know, not much has changed.

Sure, there were small wins at the start. A few builders cleaned up their sites, some bins had lids added, and we even heard rumours about compliance sessions and educational postcards being distributed. But look around Dawesville today, and it’s clear the effort hasn’t stuck. Construction activity might be slowing, but the rubbish just keeps piling up.

Records show that by November last year, 173 fines were issued, adding up to a total of $46,000. But here’s the million-dollar question (well, $46,000-question): where has that money gone? Has any of it been spent in Dawesville? From where we’re standing, the mess is still ours to deal with. We live with it, we clean it up, and it feels like we’re the only ones doing anything about it.

Cr Jess Smith raised residents' concerns with the Council, asking about where the funds are going and what progress has been made. But so far? Crickets. No update, no meaningful response, no change that we can see.

The City claims that developers are being monitored, rangers are active, and CCTV cameras are in use, but only in select spots. There was talk of a session to enforce waste laws with developers, but has that even happened? Meanwhile, the heavy lifting continues to fall on residents. We keep self-organising, picking up trash, and reporting issues, but where’s the backing for our efforts? 

It’s frustrating because we care deeply about our community. That’s why we keep showing up with gloves and garbage bags, facing a problem that just grows bigger every day. But this isn’t sustainable, and frankly, it’s not fair.

We need answers:

• Are fines still being collected? What’s the total so far?
• How much of that money has been spent in Dawesville?
• Will volunteers get real support, like tip passes or cleanup gear?
• What’s the timeline for enforcement actions, and will repeat offenders finally face consequences?

We love Dawesville. That’s why we show up, day after day, to do what we can for our environment and community. But we’re calling for some real accountability now. Enough with the empty promises and half-measures. It’s time for the Council to step up with real answers, real action, and real results.